It's been a few days since Sylvi's visit, and a disgusted Briar has already declared the Silverwolf Manor to be ground zero of 'Hurrican Marigold'. The boggan steward knows that the renewal will not last forever, and that the aches and pains are sure to return... but for now, she's making the most of this gift of Spring by diving into Spring cleaning.
Briar retreats to the meat lockers and busies herself with 'getting rid of' the oldest leftover carcasses and anything that looks freezer-burned - BURP. This process makes her very popular with the hounds, which set up a clamour every time she comes into sight, until they all have bones to snap over goodnaturedly.
Bluebell busies herself as a savior to the small flock of dust bunnies that flee the cleaning spree, rehoming them to her own closet, as neither storage rooms, cellars, nor unused suites seem immune. The pooka decides that a bit of dust and perhaps some nibbled holes in her socks is worth it to protect her distant chimerical cousins, and the flock persists.
Flo... tries help, and then to stay out of the way, and eventually she finds a rhythm with Marigold. As the boggan steward finishes cleaning one room, in comes Flo with fresh linens - after a store room is sorted, she helps carry away items to be discarded or brought back into use.
If Nadeen harbored any fear of sluagh spies hiding in the shadows or crawlspaces, even the sneakiest would be likely to flee under this refresh rampage. Her quarters are already pristine from Flo's attention, so she has a safe zone to retreat to, if needed!
Gwen may offer to help, but she is shooed away by Marigold - not unkindly, but as the Boggan scales a step ladder and dusts the lintels and corners, she explains that she can work more swiftly on her own, and after all, it's Spring! Shouldn't she be out playing with her little friends... or checking on Mister Tibb's house? Maybe she can call up Chuck, hmmmm?
Calanthe hovers a bit, watching over Marigold with pursed lips and uncertain expression, until the sidhe is unceremoniously shooed out of the houss, and she leaves to check on her hawks. Small game is awakening in the woods, critters creeping out to nibble at the fresh leaves, and it's a perfect chance to let her raptors stretch their wings and get their claws into a bit of fresh meat.
Julius finds himself... relegated to babysitting. He stares at the small child, nonplussed. Rian stares back. Both uncertain about the other... however when Bluebell next peeks in, she finds that the satyr has pulled a book from one of his shelves, and is reading a story to the boy. NOT the story that's in the book - that's an antique book of College level discourse on Greek mythology, but he cribs from it, telling a version... "And then Hades made a plan so that his new friend Persephone could stay and visit during the winter, with him and his buddy, Cerberus." "Sephy. Cerbus!" "Yes, that's right. But when she goes back to her mother's house, all the plants start to grow again, and Spring returns..." Bluebell sneaks away, smiling, not letting them know that she saw.
Aiden is pleased to see that Marigold is in such good health and spirits, but he is not dumb, and makes himself scarce to stay out of his way - only to be conscripted by another boggan, Chief Hostler Dolph, who is conducting his own spring cleaning of the stables. Aiden himself gives each horse a thorough grooming and looking over, from massive Brego down to little Joker.
Lavender as well will be wrangled if she makes the mistake of thinking that she can visit Snowthorn at this time, and though the brunt of the mucking and shoveling and cleaning was completed by Dolph unseen, she finds herself with a paintbrush in hand, freshening up the whitewash on the stalls.
Willy is largely left alone - even a boggan in a cleaning frenzy will think twice about intruding on a Nocker's workshop. Luckily for her, the workshop is new enough construction that it doesn't need Spring Cleaning, not really - but she may notice that the outside of the workshop is freshly sanded and stained, and someone even washed and detailed her truck!
The rear gardens still need work, though the fountain now bubbles merrily and early roses have started to bloom - Marigold has made some chatter about maybe planting vegetables again this year where her plot has been fallow for a few seasons, but now thoughts of fresh salads, ratatouilles, tartines, and delicious dishes with garden fresh produce tempt her... if she can find the time to tend to all of this, and "her" growing flock of fae and friends as well.
Spring has officially Sprung!